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I’m Having an Affair . . . with Coconut Oil

You read right. I’m officially in love . . . with an oil. I feel as though I should hang my head in shame that I’ve let anything capture my thoughts and admiration and desires other than my husband. But I just can’t help myself. The more I learn what coconut oil is and does for my body, the more I want to indulge in its pleasures.

It was definitely not love at first sight. I was actually repulsed, literally, at the thought of cooking with anything other than the old standbys, canola and olive oil. But when Jennifer assured me, what, four to five times, that cooking with it wouldn’t make my food taste like coconut I hesitantly decided to give it a try. And . . . she was right! It didn’t taste like coconut—it didn’t taste like anything. It didn’t even taste like canola oil, which is something I’ve come to appreciate.

So once I became comfortable with the cooking aspect, Jennifer then said you can eat it. Straight or laced with a nut and agave. She actually said it’s good to eat up to three tablespoons a day (although she confessed she didn’t do that)! Okay, I was officially grossed. Steve was pretty grossed by the thought as well. You should have seen us standing huddled in the kitchen, jar open, spoon full (the dog was even watching), looking at each other saying, “You first!” And after a few chides the spoon went back in the jar, lid closed tight, then a mad rush to the couch to indulge in Swamp People for comfort.

Then Jennifer said that if you can’t handle eating, rub it—you can actually use it as a body moisturizer. And even as a sunscreen. What?! Okay, now that I was over the “eating” episode trauma, I soon found myself drying off from a shower and about to apply some creamy Olive Body Butter when I remembered Jen’s words of dare. Sigh . . . okay, I would give it a try. My skin is (or was) so dry, I felt I had nothing to lose (and at least it didn’t involve the mouth). So back to the kitchen for the jar I went. And on my body I rubbed. It felt fabulous. If you rub the solid oil between your hands, it quickly melts to liquid form and absorbs right into your skin. Very nice. I haven’t looked back.

Since then I’ve done my own research online (organicfacts.net is my favorite site) and have found a myriad list of benefits. Here are just a few: it helps hair, skin, digestion, bones, heart, blood pressure, and kidneys. It also helps maintain good cholesterol, increased immunity, healthy bowels, and even brain function in people with Alzheimer’s. Personally, my skin is no longer dry and my bad cholesterol has dropped 22 points in the last three months. I give two teaspoons a day to my dog, and she sheds significantly less than before. (She loves eating from the spoon. J)

So now I’m spreading the love . . . If you haven’t tried using coconut oil, I hope you will. Do like I did—start small and build from there. If you are already a fan, post comments to let others know what they’re missing. It may be just enough of a push to convert yet another soul to the point of no return.

Happy oiling!!

NOTE: Only use organic, cold-pressed coconut oil (from the Philippines), never hydrogenated.